How do you diagnose brain death?

Answer 1

A determination of death must be made in accordance with accepted medical standards. “An individual, who has sustained either (1) irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions, or (2) irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brainstem, is dead.


Brain death occurs when the brain and BRAINSTEM stop working. A comatose patient is declared or pronounced brain dead by a doctor or neurologist after 3 EEG's (electroencephalogram) record no brain electrical activity or theta brain waves.


The criteria used to diagnose death that are generally accepted in most jurisdictions in the United States. For example, in New York State, two exams six hours apart (with no confirmatory test) or two exams four hours apart with a confirmatory test in between are required.


The recorded time should be the hour and minute the exam is completed whether neurologic or cardiorespiratory criteria are used.

Brain death is associated with cessation of blood flow to the brain.^Tc-99m brain flow studies are used as a laboratory confirmatory test for the establishment of the diagnosis of brain death.^Criteria for the diagnosis of cessation of blood flow to the brain are 1) visualization of carotid artery activity in the neck of the patient and 2) no visualization of activity in the distribution of the anterior and middle cerebral arteries

Answer 2

My step father has this and a neurologist will send you for a MRI scan and in the scan it gives the size of your brain. My step father was only 67, but he had a brain of a 80 year old because it had shrunk. The neurologist said to him that if he hadn't seen him and was shown the MRI scan xrays, he would of thought he was looking at an 80 year olds brain.

Answer 3

A brain-dead individual has no electrical activity in the brain and no clinical evidence of brain function upon physical examination. This includes no response to pain and no cranial nerve reflexes. Reflexes include pupillary response (fixed pupils), oculocephalic reflex, corneal reflex, no response to the caloric reflex test and no spontaneous respirations.

Answer 4

Death Records Search Database : http://DeathRecordsInfo.com/Info

Answer 5

open eyes of victim. shine a touch lite n move the head to one side. if eyes did not move wif the lites, den its brain death

Answer 6

C using fact it is the only one that mentions brainstem and that i admire its theory the superb. yet incredibly it is in basic terms my wager, I have not have been given any thought who Lamb is, so use at your very own peril!

Answer 7

It varies, according to legalities, but generally when certain bodily functions such as respiration and heartbeat cease.